Mechanism for supporting and moving circular objects



E. w. LARSEN- MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING AND MOVING CIRCULAR OBJECTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1924 April 27 1926. 7 1,582,057

- Y E; W. LARSEN MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING AND MOVING CIRCULAR OBJECTS Filed Sept. 16, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'April 27 1926. 1,582,057

E. w. LARSEN MECHANISM-FOR SUPPORTING AND MOVINGCIRCULAR OBJECTS Filed Sept. 16, 1924 a Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 27, 192a UNITED snares ransurLosFicE.

LElNER W L AMJA E CHL CQGO 1431301 ASSIG Q WE TER EIa TEI Q IA N BP BAT LQ NE -1 3,1 Y J BI QB A IQ ',Q HN W YOR nonnms vr non surron'rme nun vrovme sin-cum n censors.

l Application filed September 16,1924. Serial No. 738,112.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

"Besit' known that I, EINER WILLIAM LAR- snrna citizen of the United States, residing atGhicago, in the countyo-f Cookand State A of Illinois, have invented certain new and of ilifting arms pivoted eccentrically with respect to the center of the reel and inter connected at. theirends by a rod carrying idlers which are adapted to also engage the .peripheries of the heads offthe reel, and cooperated with rollers toliftand support the reel. The; lifting arms are equipped with -.counterweights and springs, which facilitate their operation. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention ,WllllIlOlQ fully appear from the following detailed description taken. in con- ,ncction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, oneaembodiment thereof, zand in which Fig. 1 is, an end view of a multi-unit braid- :ingmachine embodying the features of the invention Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the .{StILlCtllI'QBhOYII injEig. '1 I a, Fig. 3-is. a. diagrammatic viewillustrating the manner in which. the reel is lifted and :lowered, and

Fig. 4v is. a fragmentary sectional view :taken on the :line of Fig. 1, showing the improved takerup reel driving mechanism.

In orde wto illustrate theinvention the accompanying drawings-show an embodiment of the invention applied to L a multi-unit braidingmachine, but it is to be understood that the invention may be used to advantage in many other applications and is to be limited. only; in. sofar as defined byjthe apwpended claims.

Referring now to the drawi gs in detail -in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several- -views, 1O denotes a-fran e of a multi-unit braiding machine particularly adapted for covering a cable c'ore. Rotatably mounted on the upperpart of 'the'frame -10 isa'powerdriven capstan 11 (Fig. 1) ;-which is adapted to draw a cable core 12 from a supply reel 13 through a braiding head 14. *The cable core 12 after it leaves the capstan 11 passes through a distributor27 and is taken up by a power driven take-up reel 15.

The supply reel 13 and the take-up reel 15 are suitably positioned side'by'side in line with and directlyunder thecapstan 11 and near the floor line where theymay be easily lifted to their operative position or lowered from the operative position and removed from the machine. fThelperipheries of the twqheads ofthe supply reel 13 engage a pair of rollers 16-16 and -thep'er-i 3heriesofthe two heads of the take-up reel- 15 engage a pair of rollers: 171 7. -The rollers 16-16 and 1717 are carried on a shaft 18'- driven ,by a pulley 25, actuated by any suitable means (not shown), and suitably jou-rnaled in the lower part of the frame 10. Therollers 1616 as bestv shown in*Fig. l are rotatably mounted on ball bearings 19 carried by the shaft v18. -Each of the rollers 17 -17 (Fig; at) surround a plurality of telescopedr sleeves 20, 21 and 22 -tl1e sleeve 20 being shown keyedto the roller 17 and the sleeve 22 being shownsplined to a driving element 23 which is. keyed to the shaft 18. It will be' noted that the rollers 17-17 are preferably 7 made of phenolized canvas, and that although each of the rollers 17-17 surround ,only three telescpped sleeves, as best .shown in Fig; 4c.

Secured to the frame '10 are brackets c 30-30 (Fig;- 1) to the ends ofwhich are ,pivotally mounted arms 318l' and arms 32 32. ;In order to, simplify the structure, one of'the brackets provides a common pivot for two arms 31 and'32. The" free ends of arms '31-31 are connected by a rod-33, and the free endsof the arms 32c32 are connected by a rocl34. Rotatablymountedbn the rod 33 area pair'of idlers 85,and=36, which are adaptedto engage the peripheries of the heads of the supply reel- 13L Likewise rotatably mounte'don the rod 34: are a pair ofidlersBTand 38 which are adapted l toengagethe peripheries of the heads of the 110 take-up reel 15. The rod 33 serves to maintain the supply reel lifting arms 31-31. rigidly in a parallel position relative to each other and also provides a means whereby both arms may be lowered and raised simultaneously as will be more fully described hereinafter. Similarly the rod 34 serves to maintain the take-up reel lifting arms 32- 32 rigidly in a parallel position relative to each other and also provides a means whereby these two arms may be lowered and raised simultaneously as will likewise be more fully described hereinafter. The centers upon which the arms 31-31 and 32-32 pivot are in alignment and are eccentric to and above the centers of the reels.

Secured to one of the brackets 30, intermediate its ends, is a pin 40, and secured to one of the arms 31 is a pin 41, the two pins being connected by a tension spring 42. Likewise secured to another of the brackets is a pin 43, and secured to one of the arms 32 is a pin 44, the two pins 43 and 44 being also connected by a tension spring 45. tached to the arms 31-31 are counterweights 46-46, and attached to the arms 32-32 are counterweights 47-47. Located in the ends of the arms 31-31 are studs 48-48 and located in the ends of the arms 32-32 are studs 49-49; the studs 48-48 and 49-49 serving to space the arms 31-31 and 32-32, respectively, from the floor. These studs are held in place in the ends of the arms by set screws 52. I

The operation of this mechanism is as follows; The reels 13 and 15 are each first rolled along the floor into a receiving position, similar to the position that reel 13 is shown in Fig. 1, with the peripheries of the heads of the reel 13 engaging the rollers 16-16 and the peripheries of the heads of the reel 15 engaging the rollers 17-17. During the time that the reels 13 and 15 are in their respective. receiving positions the lifting arms 31-31 and 32-32 are in positions similar to the position of arm 31 as shown in Fig. 1. It is, of course, obvious that while the reel receiving positions were vacant, the arms 31-31 and 32-32 were drawn upwardly and maintained in their uppermost or normal positions by the counterweights 46-46 and 47-47, respectively. Furthermore, once the springs 45 and 42 are above the pivots of the arms 31-31 and 32-32 they will aid the counterweights in drawing the arms upwardly (Fig. 1).

After the reels 13 and 15 have been placed in their respective receiving or inoperative positions the rods 33 and 34 are drawn forwardly and downwardly, by the operator, carrying arms 31-31 and 32-32, respectively, with them. During the downward passage of the arms 31-31 and 32-32 the idlers 35 and 36 will make contact with the peassume their horizontal posit-ions.

ripheries of the heads of the reel 13 and the idlers 37 and 38 will make contact with the peripheries of the heads of the reel 15 at about the time the arms 31-31 and 32-32 After this time and from thereon until the studs 48-48 and 49-49 touch the floor the idlers exert a camming effect on the heads of the reels 13 and 15 which with the aid of the rollers 16-16 and 17-17, respectively. causes the reels 13 and 15 to be raised until they rest upon the rollers 16-16 and 17-17, respectively, and the associated idlers, 35, 36, 37, and 38. The weight of the arms aided by the resilience of the associated springs and 42 will ordinarily be sufiicient for causing the arms to lift the reel once the arms have passed their horizontal positions. 1Vlien a fully loaded supply reel 13 is being raised it may be necessary to assist the downward action by a small amount of manual pressure upon the rod 33. The diagrammatic view shown in Fig. 3 shows clearly the manner in which the arms 32 cause the take-up reel 15 to be raised, but it is to be understood that the supply reel 13 is raised in identically the same mann-er. In order to effect the above described raising and lowering of the reels 13 and 15 it is, of course, apparent that the pivots of arms 31-31' and arms 32-32 be eccentric to and above the centers of the reels.

It is, of course, obvious that the springs 45 and 42 when above the pivots of the arms 31-31 will aid in maintaining the arms in their inoperative positions and when below the pivots will aid in maintaining the arms in their respectve lowered or operative positions.

The studs 4S-48 and 49-49 in addition to serving to space the arms 31-31 and 32-32, respectively, from the floor also determine the distance which the reels 13 and 15 may be raised, for by loosening the set screws 52 and moving the studs vertically the downward travel of the arms may be varied, which results in a relative change in the distance the reels may be raised.

After the reels 13 and 15 have been raised to their respective operating positions the cable core 12 is fed from the reel 13, through the braiding head 14, around the capstan 11, through the distributor 27, and onto the take-up reel 15 as as best shown in Fig. 2. The cable core in being withdrawn from the supply reel 13 by the capstan 11 causes the supply reel to revolve: the heads of the supply reel 13 rolling freely on the rollers 16-16, which through the ball bearings 19., are permitted to rotate loosely on the shaft 18 in the same direction in which the shaft is turning.

The rollers 17 are actuated by the sleeves 2O which are frictionallydriven by the associated sleeves 21 actuated by the shaft ISas isclearly-shown-inliig. at. lhe rollers 171"Z engage the heads of the reel 15, driving it in the same direction-1n which the J reel l5 is revolving and causing Lthe cable core 12, after it has left the-capstan, to be taken up on the reel 15.

It has been foundthat thep'ulhonlthel cable core 12-by atake-up reel driven by any to the fact that the driving torque remains unchanged, causing a l'QlHtlYOLdGC'QfiSG in tension on the cable core.

In order for the capstan 11 to properly draw the cable core 12 through the braid ing head 1% it is essential that the tension on the cable core between the capstan 11 and the take-up reel 15 be substantially uniform at all times.

The desired conditions may be accomplished by employing the structure described above since as the cable core is wound on the reel 15 the weight pressing down on the rollers 1717 and the idlers 37 and 38 increases, causing a closer frictional contact between the driving rollers and the heads of the reel, thereby resulting in a relative increase in the driving force. This increase in the driving force causes a proportional increase in the torque thereby increasing the pull on the core and causing the tension thereon to remain substantially unchanged.

Furthermore, it will be noted that any slippage in the driving parts takes place inside of the rollers 17.17 between the sleeves thereof and not between the periphcries of the heads of the reel and the peripheries of the rollers as heretofore. This has been found very advantageous, inasmuch as the slipping between the rollers 1717 and the heads of the reel might in same cases cause fiat spots to be worn on the peripheries of the heads of the reel.

To replace either reel 13 or the reel 15 it is only necessary to raise either the rod 38 or the rod 3 to its uppermost position, the reel being lowered to the floor gradually as the rod is raised.

This invention is advantageous in many respects, but its chief advantage is in that it provides a simple, inexpensive mechanism whereby heavy cumbersome reels may be easily and quickly elevated from the reel receiving position to the operative position on a strand working machine and lowered back to the receiving position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for moving and supporting a circular object, rollers for engaging the object, arms movable in an arcuate path with respect to the center of the object ,and idlers associated with the arms for cooperating with the rollers in moving and supporting the ob ect.

' 2.: In amechanisnr; tor. moving; .andisupporting a Cll'CHlitl. ob ect, an ielementz for engaging the object,' =means..pivoted eccentrical'ly. with respect tothe center. ot; the object and movable;inhan-iarenate path-to engage the peripheryofethe .objectnto move the. object, means forai'raintaining ithe, pivoted means in an inoperative position,- and usual type of friction drive'idecreases .astbe cable core is wound in layers .on thereel, due

resilient means associated with: the. last ment-lOllGCl means for. aiding ll'l inaintamingzthe pivoted means in an inoperative .position and also for facilitating thennov ement of the pivoted means into an.,operativeilpos1- .tion.

3. .In, a -.n1ecli2u.iismifor amoving. and sup porting a circular object, an element for engaging the object, means pivoted eccentrically with respect to the center of the ob ject and movable in an areuatepath to engage the periphery of the object and cooperating with the element in moving the object, means for maintaining the pivoted means in an inoperative position, means for aiding in maintaining the pivoted means in an inoperative position and to also aid in maintaining the pivoted means in an operative position, and means for controlling the distance the object is moved.

4. In a mechanism for moving and supporting a circular object, an element for engaging the object, a pair of arms pivoted eccentrically with respect to the center of the object and movable in an arcuate path,

a member interconnecting the ends-of the arms to maintain them in a parallel relation, 'andmeans rotatably mounted on the member for engaging the periphery of the object to move the object.

5. The combination with a strand working mechanism of a mechanism for moving ing and supporting a strand reel comprising rollers for engaging the reel, arms movable in an arcuate path with respect to the center of the reel, and idlers associated} with the arms for cooperating with the rollers in moving and supporting the reel.

6. In a mechanism for lifting a circular object, an element for engaging the periphcry of the object, and means cooperating with said element for moving the object about a fulcrum on the periphery thereof.

7. In a mechanism for lifting a circular object, an element for engaging the periph cry of the object,'and resiliently controlled means cooperating with said element for moving the object about a fulcrum on the periphery thereof. 7

8. In a mechanism for lifting reels and the like, an element for engaging a. head of ate path for moving said element and cansing its engagement with said reel, and resilient means cooperating with said means for aiding the movement of said element.

10. In a mechanism for lifting reels and the like, an element for engaging a head of said reel, means movable in an arcuate path for moving said element to elevate said reel, and means for limiting the movement of said means and thereby the elevation of said reel.

11. In combination with a braiding machine, an attachment for lifting a material supply reel comprising an element having a plurality of positions, and means cooperat- 'EINER WILLIAM LARSEN. 

